


Rain

by ChloeWinchester



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 08:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3685605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeWinchester/pseuds/ChloeWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things used to be so much better. Before all the lies, before the curses, before everything. Things were softer, simpler, better. Now only memories of light remain in the darkness Rumplestiltskin himself caused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rain

**Author's Note:**

> The beginning takes place a few days after Belle is released from the asylum. The end is post-"Best Laid Plans"

“Belle?”

He’d woken to an empty bed, and she was nowhere to be seen in the rest of the room either. He wondered if he’d been imagining her this whole time. He’d been the only one to see her and speak to her, after all, and he very well could have spiraled further into madness and made her so much more real than she had been previously. Gods, and he’d been doing so well.

Shaking, loathing being alone again, worried for his mind and that if Belle was real, where had she gone, he slid out of bed and limped out of the room.

“Belle?” He called again, twisting his hand nervously on his cane. The black house didn’t answer, only creaked and groaned from the rain pouring outside.

The rest of the guest rooms were empty, and downstairs in the kitchen and the study brimming with books -where he was sure he would find her- was also empty.

Thunder clapped outside and he tensed, the rumbling noise only adding to his anxiety.

He searched the house, getting more frantic the longer he went without her, calling to her, talking to her. “Belle, if...if the storm frightened you, if a nightmare sent you hiding that’s alright. It’s alright, but let me help you, please. Don’t hide. It’s alright, you’re safe with me.” His voice was strained and desperate. After what Regina had done to her it would only make sense that she would be frightened and hiding somewhere… But she wasn’t. She wasn’t anywhere. Not the basement, the attic, and he’d searched every closet twice.

He slammed the closet door shut, raking his hair out of his face and turning in the living room, his breath tight, the grip on his cane blistering.

Lightning flashed again and his head whipped toward the window.

There she was.

Standing in the backyard, arms spread wide, soaked to the bone with her face turned up into the rain. And she was smiling. She couldn’t possibly have heard him calling, not over the storm and being so lost in what she was doing.

He limped outside, watching her from the door a moment. Oh how she smiled, how she laughed and that beautiful music mingled with the rumbling thunder gave him chills. He smiled back, unable to help himself. All his fear vanished, watching her smile, drip with water and relish the water for what it was.

Belle’s eyes were closed, and the touch to her shoulders startled her. She jumped and opened her eyes, meeting Rumplestiltskin’s eyes. She beamed.

“I missed the rain,” she said simply. He chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers.

“I can see that,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” she said, eyes filled with such light and warmth, he couldn’t possibly be upset any longer.

“You’ve every right to go where you please,” he assured, rocking with her under the downpour. She giggled and swayed with him.

“Well thank you, then,” she grinned. Every inch of her was soaking wet, and he would look much the same in a moment. The water was warm, the wind a little biting but enough to be endured, especially for this.

The swaying soon became dancing, and Belle giggled again, turning when he spun her, kicking up muddy water on their legs and neither of them cared. .

Though his injury hindered him from moving too much he didn’t let it stop him from dancing with her, playing with her, picking her up and spinning her around just to hear her laugh, to watch her eyes light up with pure joy in her eyes. He finally held her in his arms while the rain continued, their skin chilled and riddled with goosebumps now.

Belle was flushed and breathless, pressed against his chest, hugging him. She smiled up at him and leaned up on her toes, kissing him deeply, tasting his skin in the water on his lips.

His careful hands held her waist, able to feel her skin through the sopping, thin gown on her body. He held her tight, sighing happily when they broke apart.

“You know, I couldn’t tell you the last time I smiled so much,” he said gently, the rain starting to let up as one storm ended and another was ready to begin,

Belle gently touched his face, thumbing his dimples. “Well, a smile is very becoming on you, Rumple.”

They kissed again, hearts pounding louder than the thunder.

“Belle…” He whispered, just happy to say her name where she could hear. And answer. She giggled.

“Let’s go inside, I’m freezing.”

They dripped mud and water all over the wood floors and the carpet, left their wet clothes on the bathroom floor and held each other under the warm spray of the shower.

They kissed slowly, with soft, languid mouths, taking the time to know each other, to remember each other. Careful hands slid over planes of skin, adoring lips and looks gushing back and forth without holding back. They were too tired, to warm and sated and too happy to shy away from anything.

Later, when the cocoa mugs were empty and they were dry at last, curled up in bed, chastely naked and holding each other Rumplestiltskin confessed he loved her no less than twenty times. Belle drifted off to sleep listening to him say it, a smile on her soft lips. Rumple watched her, brushing fingers against the apples of her cheek. She was real.

He loved her more than he could ever say to her, unable to find the words to confess it properly but he would spend every day proving it. Every single one. No more lies, no games, not ever. Never would he hurt this sweet girl again. She deserved only love and care, and that’s precisely what he would give her.

He drifted off to sleep with that peace of mind, happy. Finally happy…

~*~

Sitting on the porch of the cabin, watching the rain fall while thunder roared above his head, The Dark One clutched his ailing heart, tears on his face.

Never again. Never again would he see her sweet face smile at him like that, have her trust like that, be able to love her in such a way ever again.

He waved his hand, and the two of their figures danced across the yard in purple sparks, just as they had before. He smiled a little, a flicker of hope lighting his eyes. How he missed her. How broken he was, how much he’d broken her. All he had were memories like this. Fairy Tales he should have cherished more.

The door opened beside him and the lights died instantly, taking his smile with it. He sat in silence with his new companion a moment, nothing but the rain between them.

“You know,” Maleficent said quietly, not a hint of scorn in her voice. “If this works out, you will get her back.”

He pursed his lips and shifted, folding his hands between his legs. “I’m not all that sure about that, dearie.”

She cocked her brow at him. “It’s true love, isn’t it? Like the Charmings?” He looked at his hands a moment, then nodded once. “Well, then there’s your answer.” She turned back toward the door. “We’ll fix this in time, too. Before it’s too late.”

He turned to look at her, finally, meeting her knowing eyes a moment before he looked away again. “Right. Sure.”

The door closed and once again he was alone with the rain, alone with his thoughts, where Belle was.

 


End file.
